Work Truck Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Are You a Bad Driver? Take this Quiz

by Staff
November 4, 2004
5 min to read


A focus group in Boston has determined some common characteristics to bad drivers, according to a report from Insure.com. The findings were collected from a group of 30 drivers from who have been involved in 84 accidents over the past three years, and have received 49 speeding tickets, 39 moving violations, and 92 parking tickets. Here are the questions they were asked: 1. When you reach a stop sign and no one is coming from another direction, do you roll through instead of stopping? An overwhelming majority (87 percent) of the bad drivers say they should be able to speed, go through stop signs, and break other driving rules and regulations as long as no one gets hurt. 2. Do you talk on the cell phone while driving instead of pulling off and stopping to talk? A total of 77 percent of bad drivers say they do this either frequently or occasionally. Only 13 percent say they never talk on a cell phone while driving. 3. Do you take your coffee and muffin or other food and drink on the road with you, driving with one hand while using the other to eat? Sixty percent of those in the study say they either frequently or occasionally eat while they´re driving. In fact, several of the participants say they have spilled drinks and attempted to clean up the spill while driving. 4. If you´re out shopping in a crowded area and are looking for a parking space, do you get so focused on your search that you lose sight of the cars and pedestrians around you? More than half of the participants say that when they´re trying to find a parking space in a crowded area, they can become so focused that they become oblivious to other drivers and pedestrians and often get into accidents, whether on the street or in a parking lot. 5. Do you hate driving behind SUVs or other large vehicles that obstruct your view? More than 60 percent of bad drivers say they are frustrated driving behind SUVs because they are wide and tall and block their vision. In fact, more than 70 percent believe SUVs should be required to drive in a separate lane on the highway. 6. Does your driving change when you go into areas with higher police presence? Nearly all of the participants strongly agree with the statement that they drive more carefully when they know police are in the area. In addition, most participants say they check their rearview mirrors regularly for police cars. 7. Does listening to music while you drive sometimes leave you oblivious to all but the music? Ninety-three percent of participants say they listen to the radio while driving, and 73 percent of them listen to music. Most say listening to the radio has often caused them to become distracted and in some cases they say listening to loud music has caused them to be more aggressive on the highway. 8. Do you find yourself in confrontations on the road, either through verbal arguments or hand gestures, because of either your own driving habits or the habits of others? While 87 percent of the bad drivers consider themselves at least somewhat courteous drivers if not very courteous, at least half also admit to making obscene or rude gestures or comments to other drivers, particularly those who cut in front of them on the highway. Participants also say, however, that they appreciate a thank-you gesture for letting another driver into their lane, and often give a wave of thanks themselves when they cut into traffic. 9. Does your "work hard, play hard" lifestyle leave you sleepy behind the wheel at times? Fifty percent of those in the study say they have almost fallen asleep while driving and an additional 10 percent say they have wanted to shut their eyes while driving and almost did. The study found that most participants lead a busy lifestyle that sometimes leaves them sleep-deprived. 10. When you´re driving with passengers, do you turn around to talk, taking your eyes and mind off the road? Nearly all group members acknowledged that they are distracted when they have passengers in their vehicles, and most say during conversations they´ll turn their heads and stop paying attention to the road. This held true especially for drivers with small children. If your answers agree with the answers from the focus group, it´s likely you tend to be a more aggressive driver than average. Like members of the study, you may also pay more for your auto insurance. Within the study group, 53 percent pay a surcharge on their auto insurance because of their driving records. These bad drivers have other characteristics that you may recognize in your own life. Most say they lead very stressful lives without enough time to accomplish all their activities in a day. They all consider themselves either somewhat or very outgoing and all have a fair to great amount of confidence in the way they behave. And 90 percent say they´ve told a "little white lie" to protect someone´s feelings. The group was broken down into three age groups, from 18 to 25 years old, 26 to 45 years old, and 46 to 59 years old. There were 19 men and 11 women in the study, commissioned by RightFind Technology, a company developing new products to help insurers make better decisions on auto insurance premium rates for specific drivers. RightFind says the study is based on a small group and should be considered a hypotheses rather than a conclusion.

More Small Fleet

Cover of the "Top 50 Green Fleets" report presented by Automotive Fleet and Inspiration Fleet, featuring an aerial nighttime photo of a lit highway interchange with looping ramps.
Green FleetJuly 16, 2026

The Top 50 Green Fleets

The List Is in: The Top 50 Green Fleets

Read More →
 Drivers in a safety meeting at Wheelz Up
Safety & Complianceby Amy HercherJuly 14, 2026

Developing Budget-Friendly Driver Safety Programs

From driver training and safety meetings to one-on-one coaching and incentive programs, several small fleets share how they have developed a safety culture with their drivers using low- to no-cost resources.

Read More →
SponsoredMarch 9, 2026

Boosting Last-Mile Fleet Uptime, Safety, and Value with AI Vehicle Inspections

AI-powered inspections are transforming last-mile fleets by replacing manual checks with highly accurate automated scans that detect defects in seconds. By giving fleet operations visibility into the daily condition of their vehicles, you can identify trends over the vehicle’s lifecycle that enable improved procurement decisions, route management, driver training and accountability.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Safety & ComplianceFebruary 4, 2026

Five Ways Seat Belts Help Prevent Injuries

There are five ways seat belts protect occupants from injuries, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

Read More →
SponsoredJanuary 14, 2026

It’s here: The 2026 Fleet Technology Trends Report

What does AI mean for fleets? Get the answer — and learn other top tech trends.

Read More →
Wreaths Across America graphic highlighting the role of small fleets in delivering wreaths to honor veterans, featuring wreath icons and the American flag.
Vocational Fleetsby Lauren FletcherDecember 8, 2025

Small Fleets, Big Impact: How Independent Drivers Power Wreaths Across America

Check out how small fleets and independent drivers power Wreaths Across America each December and why their impact matters more than ever.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A stressed person covers their face, illustrating that 65% of small fleet managers handle all operations alone, according to a Vehicle Management Systems (VMS) survey.
Small Fleetby StaffNovember 12, 2025

VMS Survey Finds 65% of Small Fleet Managers Run Operations Alone

A new VMS survey shows small fleet managers are stretched thin, with most handling operations solo and eager to adopt digital tools for relief.

Read More →
Safe Driving on Halloween over spooky fall road
Safety & Complianceby StaffOctober 20, 2025

Tips for Driving Safely on Halloween Night

This video features a reminder from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, urging drivers to prioritize safety this Halloween.

Read More →
VMS Co-CEO David Prusinski highlights the company’s AI-powered virtual fleet manager designed to improve uptime and reduce operating costs for fleets.
Green Fleetby Lauren FletcherOctober 6, 2025

AI, Access, and Uptime: VMS’s Next Chapter with David Prusinski

VMS’s new Co-CEO, David Prusinski, shares how an AI-first approach will give small fleets and repair shops the tools to compete like big players.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of tire tracks and winter scenes.
Small FleetMay 24, 2025

Fleet Managers Share Winter Prep Tips: It's Never Too Early!

Three fleets share best practices to prep vehicles for winter and prevent downtime when the cold sets in.

Read More →